Viol_oh5/02/00 1 Building A Safe Workplace: Preventing Workplace Violence Reference Manual for Supervisors Cooperatively Developed By and The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Viol_oh5/02/00 2 Program Objectives 1. Participants will understand the specific role of management and supervisory personnel in maintaining a safe place to work. 2. Participants will be able to identify action steps relating to a report of actual or potential violence. 3. Participants will be able to recognize resources available following an incident of workplace violence. 4. Participants will understand the impact of violence on employees and the workplace.

Viol_oh5/02/00 3 Ensuring A Safe Place to Work: Prevention Develop/ communicate agency policy and procedure Identify/address situations Report concerns Involve employees Provide training Manage change Provide evaluations/ feedback Evaluate processes Take safety/ security measures Inform and communicate Provide SEAP and other benefit information

Viol_oh5/02/00 4 Building Employee Awareness 1. Be aware of changes and how they occur in people. 2. Be understanding of personal situations. 3. Pay attention to behavior. 4. Be truthful. 5. Know where to go for help.

Viol_oh5/02/00 5 Tips for Dealing with Domestic Violence Let the employee know what you have observed. Express concern. Make a statement of support. Offer a SEAP referral. Discuss confidentiality.

Viol_oh5/02/00 6 Behaviors to Watch For Regardless of a situation’s potential for violence, problems must be addressed promptly. ä Attendance ä Issues requiring excessive amounts of supervisor/ manager’s time ä Decreased productivity ä Work pattern ä Relationships ä Concentration ä Safety concerns äPoor health and hygiene äBehavior changes äFascination with guns or other weapons äPossible substance abuse äStress äExcuses äDepression

Viol_oh5/02/00 7 A Reminder Some behaviors may indicate a potential for workplace violence. Remember to include SEAP when intervening. It is better to err on the side of caution than to do nothing.

Viol_oh5/02/00 8 Employees are to report any workplace situation which may contribute to the occurrence of violence to their supervisor in accordance with agency policy. Supervisors are to take appropriate action and report back to the employee in a timely manner. The Importance of Reporting Incidents

Viol_oh5/02/00 9 Do’s and Don’ts for Supervisors Don’t... try to diagnose the problem. discuss drinking unless it occurs on the job. moralize. Restrict criticism to job performance or attendance. be misled by sympathy evoking tactics. “cover up” for a friend. put the person in the basement to file reports. ignore the problem or the signs.Do… point out that SEAP is available, confidential, and can help. make it clear that the Commonwealth is concerned only with job performance. explain that the employee must decide for him or her self whether or not to seek assistance. remember that chemical dependence is a progressive disease. remember that as a supervisor, it is your responsibility to respond to any threat or actual act of violence.

Viol_oh5/02/00 10 The Importance of Reporting Incidents All occurrences of workplace violence must be reported to your supervisor as soon as possible. Use the Reporting Data Sheet for Incidents of Workplace Violence. Where available reports may be made electronically. Any report made in good faith will be accepted.

Viol_oh5/02/00 11 Documentation Checklist Documentation should include specifics to describe a particular incident or an employee’s inappropriate behavior. When preparing your documentation, it may be helpful to review the following checklist to ensure completeness and accuracy. Select elements which apply. ___Did you record the documentation promptly, while your memory was still fresh? ___Have you indicated the date, time, and location of the incident(s) documented? ___Did you record the action taken or the behavior exhibited? ___Did you indicate the person(s) or work products involved? ___Have you listed the specific performance standards violated or exceeded? ___Did you record the consequences of the action or behavior on the employee’s total work performance and/or operation of the work unit? ___Have you been objective, recording observations and not impressions? ___Did you indicate your response to the action of the employee’s behavior? ___Did you indicate the employee’s reaction to your efforts to modify his/her behavior?

Viol_oh5/02/00 12 Workplace Violence Coordinator/ Response Team Purpose: 1. Assess the vulnerability to workplace violence. 2. Reach agreement on preventive actions to be taken. 3. Implement plans for responding to acts of violence. 4. Recommend/ implement related training programs. 5. Implement plans for responding to acts of violence Establish telephone teams. Develop an emergency evacuation plan Establish a second source of communication Assign personnel to assist in calming witnesses Increase security measures Keep employees informed Suggested Team Membership: Senior Site Manager Human Resource Personnel Legal Counsel Security/ Safety Professional Psychologist SEAP Professional Medical/ Health Professional Law Enforcement Union and/ or Employee Representative

Viol_oh5/02/00 13 Taking Action Getting help Communication Issues Legal Issues Media Interaction Maintaining Safety & Order As a part of their function, the Workplace Violence Coordinator will activate pre-designed plans and procedures for:

Viol_oh5/02/00 14 Responding to a Threat: Threat Assessment The Workplace Violence Coordinator will, in accordance with agency policy: 1. Activate the Threat Assessment Team (if available). 2. Confirm incident. 3. Interview witnesses. 4. Interview manager/ supervisor,co-workers. 5. Check personnel file. 6. Call law enforcement/ security. 7. Involve SEAP. 8. Interview the threat maker. 9. Inform target. 10. Activate response plan.

Viol_oh5/02/00 15 Incident occurs Treat as emergency. Notify security, then Personnel, management Violence Coordinator(VC) and/or Supervisor assess whether life threatening Notify Personnel YES NO Gather facts Expand assessment team to include legal, Medical, others, as needed Develop initial action plan(e.g, determine security matters, “duty to warn”, plan for confrontation of employee, suspension issues, medical evaluation needs Conduct more thorough investigations; interview witnesses, co-workers Assessment team to review all of the facts and develop a long term action plan addressing disciplinary action, security needs, management changes, return to work plan, prevention issues, etc. Debrief Contact appropriate functions- security, violence coordinator, management, SEAP, others on a “need to know” basis Assess whether reasonable validity is established to continue the investigation. Bring to closure YES NO Remember: Clarify confidentiality and anonymity boundaries early Document everything in writing Threat of Violence Flow Chart

Viol_oh5/02/00 16 How Trauma Affects Employees Stage One: Emotional Reaction Stage Two: Impact Stage Three: Reconciliation

Viol_oh5/02/00 17 Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) n Definition ä Structured informal confidential discussion ä Education,validation, and support ä Reassurance, opportunity to vent ä Opportunity to vent  Not counseling n Purpose and goals ä To facilitate recovery & related concerns n Process ä Introduction ä Facts ä Thoughts ä Reactions ä Symptoms ä Teaching ä Re-entry